Yahoo is reporting an update on Larkin is expected today on his fantasy profile.

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"Dylan Larkin (oblique) hasn't been completely ruled out yet for Thursday night.
Advice: Larkin may not be available for one or two weeks after he suffered a strained oblique last Friday. There was no update on Larkin's status Monday, but Detroit gets back on the ice on Tuesday for practice."

But Henkka, goal-based metrics are at the mercy of what the other team's goalie does. The shot based metrics are more of a individualistic statistic. And of course goal based metrics would show a greater link between a better goal differential and wins than shot differentials and wins.

If Washington played 10 games in a row against a Jimmy Howard goaltended Red Wings squad and 10 against a Jonathan Bernier one, their goal based metrics would be a HELL of a lot better in the Bernier games. However, their shot based ones and Corsi should be pretty equivalent because the rest of the team will be identical.

That is a flawed opinion of the guy who wrote up that argument, because it leaks in another variable and therefore isn't comparable.

Shot differentials and Corsi tend to show who has the puck more often and that implies that team will, on most nights, outplay their opponent. Obviously shots aren't everything because the Wings would routinely pour on 40-50 shots in their heyday and they'd lose a good amount of games where they gave up 20. But, in a probability game, which is what advanced stats are, the Wings were far more likely to win than lose when they dominated play that much.

Really? What should we go off of "feeler" stats. Like "**** no" to trading Mantha. And not wanting Panarin because, reasons?

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No. And we shouldn’t discount all advanced stats. But I mean, does it really tell you anything at all that “if a team has a better goal differential, it will relate to more wins than a shot differential”? I mean, that is common knowledge that scoring more goals than you surrender leads to wins.

Why possession stats and Corsi and the like came into vogue is that the team who controls the puck more often is generally more skilled and will win more than they lose. And it is like I said about the Caps playing a series against Jimmy Howard and against Jonathan Bernier. The Caps are not a better or worse team because they would score more against Bernier.

Shot differential stats show which team of 5 guys has the puck on their stick and is driving the offense more often and ignores the effect of a goaltender’s play.

And lastly, advanced stats are mostly used to give a “most likely outcome” kind of answer. Many times they are used as definitive answers in discussions when they are just a portion of what is truly happening.

Like in the Tampa series that went 7, the Wings were muddying the tracks and smothering Tyler Johnson until Glenny got injured and they put Datsyuk on Johnson. By all advanced metrics, Glendening usually grades out terribly and Datsyuk very well, but in that situation, one guy was a wet blanket and the other a statue that let a guy blow past multiple times

Larkin is doing this to prove to Wings management, Wings coaching staff, his team mates, and to the Wings fan base that he:

1. Want to show what he is made of as a leader for the team.

2. Ready to take on the Wings captain role.

3. Convince his team mates what it takes to put on that winged-wheel jersey.

4. To show pride and start a new culture to drive himself and his team mates to give everything you have on the ice. Right now it may seem meaningless since the Wings are not in the playoff hunt, but in the next couple of seasons, things might be different and you have to start somewhere to get this team back in the right direction.

5. Might even convince UFA & RFA players to take notice and maybe convince one or two players to consider coming to play for Detroit for next season and beyond.

Larkin is doing this to prove to Wings management, Wings coaching staff, his team mates, and to the Wings fan base that he:

1. Want to show what he is made of as a leader for the team.

2. Ready to take on the Wings captain role.

3. Convince his team mates what it takes to put on that winged-wheel jersey.

4. To show pride and start a new culture to drive himself and his team mates to give everything you have on the ice. Right now it may seem meaningless since the Wings are not in the playoff hunt, but in the next couple of seasons, things might be different and you have to start somewhere to get this team back in the right direction.

5. Might even convince UFA & RFA players to take notice and maybe convince one or two players to consider coming to play for Detroit for next season and beyond.

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That's all fine, but if he's not 100% recovered and he aggravates it, what good does it do? You need to be smart with things like this, take another game or two off is not the end of the world, nor should it have any effect on all the points you mentioned.

That's all fine, but if he's not 100% recovered and he aggravates it, what good does it do? You need to be smart with things like this, take another game or two off is not the end of the world, nor should it have any effect on all the points you mentioned.

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I'm sure that Larkin knows that as well as the Wings coaching and training staff. The Wings make the final call on whether Larkin plays Thursday or not. They are not in a big rush about it. But this shows how determined Larkin is to do well for himself and for his team. That is what is missing from this Wings team at the moment and this might get him and the team more motivated in playing better and to have a team identity for the rest of this season and beyond.